Computer-implemented methods for indicating damage to an aircraft

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for indicating damage to an aircraft, the computer-implemented method comprising: receiving data indicating an occurrence of damage to an aircraft and severity of the damage; determining information to present to an operator of the aircraft using the received data, the information being dependent on the severity of the damage; and controlling an output device to provide the determined information indicating the occurrence of damage to an operator of the aircraft.

What we claim is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving data indicating an occurrence of damage to an aircraft and severity of the damage;   determining information to present to an operator of the aircraft using the received data, the information being dependent on the severity of the damage; and   controlling an output device to provide the determined information indicating the occurrence of damage to an operator of the aircraft.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the determined information has a greater quantity of information when the severity of the damage is low, relative to when the severity of the damage is high. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the data indicates a location of the damage on the aircraft, and the step of controlling the output device further comprises controlling the output device to provide the location of the damage. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining information to present to the operator includes determining the effect of damage on performance of the aircraft, and the step of controlling the output device further comprises controlling the output device to provide the determined effect of the damage on the performance of the aircraft. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a signal from a user input device; and   in response to receiving the signal from the user input device, controlling the output device to provide additional information indicating the occurrence of damage to an operator of the aircraft, the additional information comprising a greater quantity of information than the determined information.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the output device comprises a display. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus comprising:
 a controller configured to:
 receive data indicating an occurrence of damage to an aircraft and severity of the damage; 
 determine information to present to an operator of the aircraft using the received data, the information being dependent on the severity of the damage; and 
 control an output device to provide the determined information indicating the occurrence of damage to the aircraft. 
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the determined information has a greater quantity of information when the severity of the damage is low, relative to when the severity of the damage is high. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the data indicates a location of the damage on the aircraft, and the controller is configured to control the output device to provide the location of the damage. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the effect of damage on performance of the aircraft, and to control the output device to provide the determined effect of the damage on the performance of the aircraft. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 receive a signal from a user input device; and   in response to receiving the signal from the user input device, control the output device to provide additional information indicating the occurrence of damage to an operator of the aircraft, the additional information comprising a greater quantity of information than the determined information.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the output device comprises a display. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause performance of the method as claimed in  claim 1 .